OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the satisfaction with the surgical sterilization performed by Unified Health System (SUS) and to detect factors that can influence the choice between tubal ligation and vasectomy. METHODS: A total of 235 women and 78 men who were sterilized in a five years time period were interviewed. The studied variables included their socio-demographic features, their reason for sterilization, their opinion on the access to the surgery, the counseling, hospital services and the satisfaction with the procedure. RESULTS: Most were married or lived together, had an average of 3.4 living children and a mean of 6.7 years of schooling. They declared that the average monthly per capita income was R$ 212.81. The most of them belonged to the social status C. They were white and Catholics. The most of them found easy to obtain the surgery and the waiting time was appropriate. They become satisfied with the counseling and 99% were satisfied with sterilization. However, one fourth, incorrectly, found that sterilization was easy to reverse. A study on the couples showed important differences on choosing vasectomy or tubal ligation. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that it is necessary for improvement in the information provided to the candidates to sterilization. Although they are satisfied now, they could not be in the future. The evaluation from the perspective of the health service user should take into account not only their opinion, but also their interests.